The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported that most Americans have lost 12 teeth by the age of 50. Furthermore, roughly 178 million adults in the U.S. are missing at least one tooth. So, it’s safe to say that tooth loss is prevalent. The good news is that the negative impact on the look and function of your smile doesn’t have to be long-lasting thanks to dental bridges in Covington, GA. In fact, Dr. Stephen Dean can use this restorative dental treatment to seamlessly rebuild your smile in just a few appointments!
As the name suggests, dental bridges are designed to “bridge” the gap in your smile, restoring your bite and your confidence in the process. Typically, this tooth-replacement solution is ideal for patients who are missing one tooth or 2-4 consecutive teeth. Any more than that, and the restoration can become unstable. At that point, we will need to explore your other options, like traditional dentures or state-of-the-art dental implants.
At Dean Dental Care, our patients in Covington can choose between two types of dental bridges: traditional dental bridges and implant bridges. You can learn more about each right here!
Traditional dental bridges utilize dental crowns to hold your restoration securely in place. In short, a dental crown will be placed on each side of the gap and connected with the prosthetic teeth. This does sometimes require your healthy teeth to be altered, but there are also numerous benefits to consider, including that dental bridges prevent your surrounding teeth from shifting out of place.
Implant bridges, on the other hand, secure the restoration in place with dental implants, not dental crowns. This increases the stability of your new bite and doesn’t require any of your natural teeth to be altered. Plus, dental implants can last for more than 25 years if you care for them properly!
If you’re still on the fence about whether or not a dental bridge is right for you, you can always give our team a call so we can help you decide. Otherwise, you may find it helpful to read all about the benefits of this restorative dental service: